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ARLINGTON, Texas -- The trade deadline still is a week away, but the frenzy already has begun. In a flurry of moves Monday, the Yankees traded for Ichiro Suzuki, the Tigers acquired starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez, and the Braves were close to a possible deal for veteran right-hander Ryan Dempster.

And the Red Sox?

With another chance to prove they’re worthy of consideration as a wild card contender, they absorbed a 9-1 pounding by the Rangers. It was their fourth consecutive loss, and for the first time since June 16, they dipped below the .500 mark.

Does that sound like a playoff team to you?

“I think we’re all miserable,” said Dustin Pedroia (AP photo, right). “Nobody in here likes losing. We want to win, every single one of us. It’s tough. We’re trying all we can to do something. Everyone is.”

The problem is easily identifiable. For the 11th time in 19 games this month, Red Sox pitching allowed at least five runs. That’s no way to sustain a winning streak, even for a team that has scored the second-most runs in the American League.

GM Ben Cherington can take measures to bolster the pitching. If the Red Sox want to shell out a package of prospects, they may be able to pry Matt Garza from the Cubs or Josh Johnson from the Marlins.

But is the price too steep for a team that, after nearly 100 games, has been mired in mediocrity?

“I mean, we hope not,” Pedroia said. “That second wild card, it could come down to the last week of the season. I was talking to (bullpen coach) Gary Tuck on the bus. He tells me every year, ‘Look at the standings Sept. 15 and see where you’re at.’ We’ve got to keep fighting. That’s our mindset.”